slavery at the #Russian #Alabuga factory, where #Shaheds are produced.

According to the #South_African branch of #Human_Rights_Watch, the girls were recruited under the #Alabuga_Start program, which promised education and work but turned out to be a cover for labour exploitation.

🇦🇷 On the other side of the world, in #Argentina, a legal complaint has also been filed accusing two advertisers who made a marketing video for #Alabuga_Start of promoting human trafficking.

A video showing men touring sites in #Tatarstan and talking about job opportunities on offer has sparked a

a youth activist and representative of #Alabuga_Start in the southern #African country.

As #Bloomberg notes, she is part of a growing army of people behind an aggressive international recruiting campaign for #Russians.

“Since its launch in 2022, #Alabuga_Start has attracted about 350 women to

"Remember the #russian attempt to recruit drone workers? Who knew there would be a sex trafficking element!" 🤮🤮🤮

#Interpol Launches #Botswana Investigation into Possible Human Trafficking Links at #Russian Drone Factory #Alabuga_Start — #Bloomberg

🇧🇼 The attention of #Interpol was drawn to an

No protests by the governments of countries whose citizens have been enslaved by #Putin's military-industrial complex have been reported.

📹: promotional video published by #Alabuga_Start Program in January 2024

#ukraine #putinisamasskiller #putinisawarcriminal @kardinal691

would be a good start to getting a higher education, such as medical education, and becoming a qualified specialist

Instead, they were expected to work in workshops with toxic materials under the strict control of #Russian supervisors. #Alabuga_Start participants are mainly employed to assemble UAV

willingness to cooperate. For example, #Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Education posted an advertisement for the #Alabuga_Start program.

Investigative journalists found similar documents from the governments of #Uganda, #Mali, and #Burkina_Faso. The #Bangladesh Bureau of Manpower, Employment and

#Ukraine, where they are now forced to assemble drones for the #Russian side

◾️ #Alabuga_Start is a recruitment program of the #Russian plant for the production of #Iranian Shahed-136 drones located in #Alabuga Special Economic Zone (#Tatarstan)

To make up for the acute shortage of labour, #Russian

#Alabuga_Start became the finish line - #Russia tricks girls from #Africa into working for the war.

They are promised money, education, and career advancement. However, instead of an "adventure in faraway #Europe," they ended up at a defense company under sanctions and a legitimate target for

Expert: Several African governments unaware of young workers in Russian drone factories Young Africans are being duped into working in Russian drone factories under harsh conditions, with little intervention from their home governments

These ties, he believes, signal a potential expansion of recruitment efforts.

The #Voice_of_America has found that some #African governments are willing partners of #Alabuga. For example, the #Nigerian Ministry of Education has an announcement on its website about the #Alabuga_Start program.

Inside the Russian effort to build 6,000 attack drones with Iran’s help Leaked documents show that, despite delays, Moscow is progressing toward its goal of mass producing drones that could be used against Ukraine.

▪️ Recruitment under false pretences

The website of the #Russian program #Alabuga_Start portrays a bright future for #African women in #Tatarstan, #Russia. Although the website does not state that it is addressed specifically to women, they are featured in all the commercials.